Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Thursday's Forecast
Moderate breeze, locally gusty
A noticeable breeze, feeling cool where exposed on tops. Locally may be gusty, but unlikely to affect walking progress. 15-25mph.
Patchy rain or drizzle
Rain on and off, or generally drizzly - total amounts small, but may be persistently damp, especially where hills are shrouded in cloud.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
Cool to mild
Air temperature 5 to 10C on higher terrain. Comfortable temperatures on lower terrain, but feeling chilly if exposed to wind higher up, especially if stationary. Pack extra layers.
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Moderate breeze, locally gusty
A noticeable breeze, feeling cool where exposed on tops. Locally may be gusty, but unlikely to affect walking progress. 15-25mph.
Patchy rain or drizzle
Rain on and off, or generally drizzly - total amounts small, but may be persistently damp, especially where hills are shrouded in cloud.
Poor visibility
Murky conditions with areas of fog shrouding the hills, making navigation challenging. Map and compass essential.
Cool to mild
Air temperature 5 to 10C on higher terrain. Comfortable temperatures on lower terrain, but feeling chilly if exposed to wind higher up, especially if stationary. Pack extra layers.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Thursday 23rd July 2026
Last updated
Wed 22nd Jul 26 at
4:00PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Low cloud and drizzle across the northern parts of the Highlands in the morning, cloud tending to lift for central-southern Highlands, but northwestern areas stay damp, more persistent rain later and winds also strengthening. Cloudy skies for England and Wales, most hills clearing in the morning, low risk of a shower.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Increasing breeze. Some drizzle, low cloud, improving.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 15 to 25mph, strongest sustained speeds over higher Cairngorm plateau, increasing later in day to 30-35mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small effect on walking, but feeling breezy and quite cool on high terrain. Becoming increasingly blustery evening.
How Wet?
A little drizzle northern areas, fading
Patchy drizzly rain north Cairngorms to Monadhliath in the morning, some drizzle near Deeside for a time. Becoming dry. Some light rain mainly later evening in areas near and west of the A9.
Cloud on the hills?
Early low cloud lifting and breaking
Cloud banks from 500-700m upward early in the day, most extensive northern areas. Base rising to 1000-1200m during morning, increasingly lifting and breaking above most tops during afternoon. Toward dusk, cloud lowers from northwest over higher terrain.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30% rising to 80% afternoon, then lowering late evening from west.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Largely cloudy start, visibility becoming very good below cloud, occasional sun breaking through, best in east.
How Cold? (at 900m)
9C from dawn, rising to 11 or 12C afternoon, local 14C easternmost areas. Feeling near 0C in the wind in morning.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Friday 24th July 2026
Last updated
Wed 22nd Jul 26 at
4:00PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 30 to 40mph, gusts 50mph over higher Cairngorms, tending to strengthen toward evening.
Effect of the wind on you?
Frequent buffeting over high terrain, making walking strenuous, gusts knocking you off balance. Considerable wind chill.
How Wet?
Drizzle most frequent west
Drizzle on and off for mountains near and west of the A9 corridor. Patchier eastwards, more often dry toward Deeside. Toward evening, some steadier rain develops from west, continuing into night.
Cloud on the hills?
Most persistent western tops
Covering hills from Ben Alder to west Cairngorms and Monadhliath much of day above 800-1000m, brief breaks. East near Deeside, bases 1000-1100m, good breaks. Lowering during evening.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30% west, to 60% furthest east.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Largely cloudy, visibility reduced at times in drizzle west, otherwise good below cloud, some sun breaking through in east.
How Cold? (at 900m)
7C rising to 10C, local 12C eastern tops; little change with added height on Munros. Feeling like 0 to -5C directly in the wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Saturday 25th July 2026
Last updated
Wed 22nd Jul 26 at
4:00PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 35 to 50mph from dawn into early morning, lessening to 25-35mph middle of day, 15-20mph later.
Effect of the wind on you?
Challenging walking and marked chill at first, improving during day, to become mostly small afternoon.
How Wet?
Drizzly rain or showers
Patchy rain from overnight into early morning, some more persistent rain western Cairngorms, likely to ease to drizzly showers, but some heavier showery bursts possible locally during afternoon.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive higher areas, rising, breaks
Shrouding hills fairly widely above 600-800m in morning, lowest toward west. Base tending to rise, to 1000m with some breaks to 1200m or above, best in east afternoon.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20% rising to 50%, or 70% east.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Largely cloudy, dull morning, misty over hills especially in west; improving visibility to become very good below cloud.
How Cold? (at 900m)
9 to 12C, warmest near Deeside afternoon. Feeling below freezing directly in the wind in the morning.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
Westerly winds reaching gale-force over Scottish tops on Friday; low cloud across western Scotland, drizzle and steadier light rain, turning heavier later in the day. A swathe of persistent rain and strong winds moving southwards across Britain into Saturday, leaving a legacy of showers for Scotland, winds tending to lessen. Further areas of showers into Sunday. A changeable west to southwesterly pattern into next week and likely into early August, bringing spells of rain and showers; varying wind speeds, strengthening at times to gales on high tops. Often cooler for Scotland, a mix of cooler and warmer days for England & Wales.